In-place saving?
Save points?
Autosave?
When you load a save, do you load to the exact position, or the start of the zone, or the world map?
Personally, I'm in favor of the following system:
When you start a new game, you pick a save file. Then, you can only save at save points placed at strategically safe locations, so you don't end up saving in a place that you can't get out of without dying. Loaded saves return you to the save points, but gameovers restart you in the last map you were in with full hp/sp/mp, but a loss of gold/exp.